Delivery of polishing agents in a wafer processing system
US6348124B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 14, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 14, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D11/132
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A polishing agent delivery system for a wafer processing system includes multiple tanks each of which can hold a supply of a respective polishing agent constituent, such as a slurry constituent, a buffing agent or a cleansing agent. The system also includes multiple containers, each one of which can hold a respective polishing agent constituent. Additionally, each container has a motor-driven piston that can be operated to cause the respective polishing agent constituent to be dispensed from the container to a wafer processing station and which can be operated to cause additional polishing agent constituent to be drawn into the container from a corresponding one of the tanks. The apparatus also includes a controller for controlling a respective rate of linear displacement of each motor-driven piston. Stepper motors or servo-motors can be used. The system allows changes to slurry mixtures to be made quickly and efficiently, and different slurry or buffing mixtures can be used for different polishing stations. Furthermore, the system can provide tight control over the dispensing operations so that precise, predetermined amounts of each constituent are mixed into the slurry. The syste…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.